Minister of Education and Higher Education Dr. Muhammad Al-Fares has stressed the importance of the role played by private schools, stressing the increase of educational fees in these schools for academic year 2017/2018 is only three percent and there is no other hike in fees.

Al-Fares explained the ministerial decision allowing private schools to increase fees by three percent entails strict monitoring of these schools to ensure they do not violate the rule. He said the idea of increasing fees in the coming years is still under study and the relevant decision will be taken at the right time.

He also warned that legal action will be taken against schools proven to have committed violations, asserting the parents have the right to contact the Private Education Department in case they are asked to pay more than the authorized three percent fee hike. It is worth mentioning that measures against erring schools include cancellation of the license by the end of the academic year the violation was committed and obliging them to refund the extra fees they collected.